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' (No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1.

G,\N.,D0WNS. GENTRIPUGAL' MACHINE.

A` Patented Apr. 3,1888,

.(No Model.)

vG. N. DOWNS.

GBNTRIFUGAL MACHINE.

y Patented Apr. 3,1888.

IWT@ @Maggi-.-

UNITED STATES @PATENT EEIcE.

GEORGE N. DoWNs, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGNOE rro THE TROY LAUN- DRY 'MACHINERY COMPANY, OE rrEoY, NEW YORK.

CENTRIFUGAL MAoHmE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,555, dated April 3, 1888.

Application filed July 1l, 1887. Serial No. 243,951. (No model.) Y

.To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE N. DowNs, of Chicago, in the county of Cook a'nd State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to au improvement in centrifugal machines or devices for extracting by centrifugal action fluid from stances. i

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

The machine herein shown as embodying my invention is intended more especially for use in laundries, for the purpose of extracting water from clothing or other articles preparatory to drying the same.

The invention may be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a side view of a machine con structed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the same, taken upon line x a.' of Fig. 1. AFig. 3 is a central vertical section of the same, taken upon line a: a: of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged de.`

tail section of the shaft-support and pulley' shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5- is a detail sectional plan view taken upon line e z of Fig. 3. Fig.

6 is a detail section taken upon lineyy of Fig.

3. Fig. 7 is a detail section takenupon line w of Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a detail section of one of the spring-connections between the base of the machine and the arm attached to the shaftbearing. Fig. 9 shows a somewhat different form of the spring-connection illustrated in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 illustrates a modification of the actuating devices for the brake-shoe.

As illustrated in the said drawings, A is a circular tank or receptacle of the machine, which is supported by means of standards A A from a metal bed-plate, A2.

B is the revolving .perforated cylinder of the extractor, which is located within the receptacle A, andwithin which the articles from which the water is to be extracted are placed.

solid sub- Said perforated cylinder B is mounted upon the upper end of the vertical shaft C, passing through a central aperture, a, in the bottom of the receptacle A, and having bearings at its lower end in a long bearing-box, D. This bearing-box is pivotally supported upon the bed-plate A2, and is held in a vertical position by means of a plurality of rigid arms, E E E E, rigidly attached to the box and connected at their free ends with the bedplate A2 by spring-connections F F F F, which are so adjusted as to hold the shaft C normally verti- A cal, but which are adapted to yield, so as to allow the shaft and the cylinder carried thereon to seek and maintain an axis of rotation pass ing through its center of gravity.

G is a driving-pulleyaftixed to the shaft C, said pulley being made hollow and arranged to' extend over or around the pivotal support of the shaft C, so that the bearing-surface of the pulley is brought centrally opposite the pivotal axis of the bearing D. The object of this construction is to bring the pressure of the driving-belt against the pulley equally on either side of the pivotal axis of the said bearing, so that such pressure of the driving-belt will have no tendency to throw the shaft out of its vertical position.

The pivotal connection between the bearing `D and the machine-frame is herein shown as formed by a ball-and-socket joint located between the ends of a long bearing arranged to extend both above and below the pivotal point of the said `joint. For this purpose the 4said bearing D consists of a metal sleeve or box, D', provided at its middle part with a spherical enlargement, d, the exterior surface of which A is fitted within a correspondingly -shaped socket, h, formed in a tubular standard, H, bolted to the bed-plate A2.` The socket h is shown as divided horizontally into two parts, forming a removable cap, h', to allow the insertion of the spherical enlargement in the socket. The arms E E are in this construction rigidly attached to the lower end of the sleeve D below the bearing aperture therein, said arms being constructed to extend outwardly through lateral openings li2 h2 in the tubular bracket H. This construction obviously enables the bearing for the shaft to be made very long vertically,`while at the same time giving IOC a compact form to the pivotal `joint, enabling it to be placed within the rim of a belt-pulley of relatively small diameter. v

The device shown in the drawings embraces an improved construction in the bearings for the shaft and oiling devices within the bearingbox D', as follows: Said box D' is made somewhat larger in the interior diameter than the exterior of the shaft, and within the said box is placed a tubular lining, D?, which will commonly be made of brass or other soft metal suitable for bearings. The lining D2 is, as more clearly shown in Fig. 7, provided with longitudinal grooves d' d in its exterior surface, and

is provided with perforations dtd", leading from said grooves inwardly to the beari ng-surface of the sleeve. At its middle part, within the spherical enlargement d, the box D is provided with a recess or chamber, d3, which forms a reservoir for oil, and communicates with the vertical passage formed by the grooves d' d' in the manner clearlyshown in Fig. 4. The oil for lubricating the bearing is inserted within the chamber d3, fills the vertical passage formed by the grooves d', and passes from said recess and vertical passages through the perforations d" to the contact-surfaces of the bearing.

For lubricating the bearingsurface between the box D and the socket h, one or more openings, d, may be formed in the wall of the chamber da, as clearly shown in the drawings, Fig.- 4. The grooves d' d preferably terminate short of the ends of the sleeve D2, so that the end portions of the said sleeve tit tightly the inner surface of the box, in the manner clearly shown in the drawings. For taking the endthrnst of the shaft, a separate step or bearing block, D3, will commonly be fitted within the lower part of the lining, so as to vrest against the bottom of the aperture in the bearingbox, in the manner clearly shown in the drawings.

For conveniently supplying oil to the bearing, I have herein shown a bent tube, D4, as inserted through the bearing D', so as'to enter one of the vertical passages formed by the grooves d', said tube being extended outwardly through a suitable opening in the bracket H and beneath the edge of the drive-pulley G, and bent at right angles and carried upwardly outside of the pulley to a point near the level of the top of the bearing. v

Thev spring-connecting device F, uniting the outer ends of each of the arms E E with the bed-plate A2 of the machine, consists, as herein shown, of a metal yoke, F', connected by a pivot, f, atfits lower end with the bedplate, and attached at its upper ends to a centrallyapertured plate, F2, together with a rod, F3, pivoted to the end of the arm E and inserted through the plate F2, and provided at its lower end with a diskf', between which disk and the plate FIl is located a coiled spring, Ft. The disk j" is constructed to slide on the rod F3, and is held thereon by means of a nut, f2, which may be adjusted upon the rod for the purpose of giving greater or less tension 4to the spring, as desired. ByV adjusting the tension of the springs F1L F, belonging to the several arms, the shaft and perforated cylinder may be sustained in position most favorable for running with uniformity and smoothness. The plate F2 and yokes F are herein shown as arranged to forni part of a cylinder, F5, which serves to form a guide for the disk f and to Lcover and hold in place the spring F4.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a somewhat different construction in the springconnection F, in which the latter is provided, in addition to the spring F4, with additional springs, F6 F7, made shorter than the spring F4, so that they do not come into action unless the said spring F4 is considerably compressed. The purpose of said springs FSF7 is to hold the shaft from extreme vdeviation from the vertical, in case an exceptionally-heavy load is thrown on one side of the revolving cylinder.

It has been proposed heretofore to hold the vertical shaft in an extractor in avertical position by means of springs acting directly -against the shaft-bearing and adapted to yield to allow the shifting of the shaftlaterally when the movable part of the extractor is in rotation, so as to allow the extractor to rotate about its center of gravity.

-By the construction above set forth,in which radial arms are attached to the said bearing, and spring-connections are located between the ends of said arms and the machine-frame, I am enabled vto adjust the shaft much more accurately and control its motion with much more certainty, for the reason that in this construction the power of the springs is applied at a point remote from the center of movement of the shaft, and at which a considerable vnot total destruction of, the machine; and to obviate the liability of injury in acase of this kind I place around the margins of the said hole a afreely-rotating ring, which is mounted in suoli manner as to engage the shaft in case the latter is thrown sidewise, the rapidly-rotating shaft in this case serving to turn the ring without having any other effect 0n the machine.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, I is the ring above referred to, which is placed within -an annular rabbet or recess formed upon the bottom wall of the receptacle A adjacent to the opening a and covered with aplate, I', placed over the said recess. For the purpose of sustaining said ring so that it may revolve with little friction, I place between the ring and its supportingsurface a series of anti-friction rollers, i', and I sustain ITO the ring from horizontal movement bya series of anti-friction rollers, i2, rolling against the outer surface of the ring and against the inner surface of avertical flange, a', upon the upper surface of the bottom of the receptacle. Said anti-friction rollers t" are preferably located within an annular groove, 3, formed in the under surface of the ring I.

The rollers i2 may be conveniently sustained upon the flat top of a rib or iiange, a2, loca-ted within the ange a', in the manner shown,the said rollers being held from displacement by means of suitable annular bearing-surfaces upon the under surface of the plate I' in the manner shown in the drawings.

The cylinder B of the extractor is herein shown as constructed in a manner heretofore well known, the bottom of said cylinder being formed by two'convex plates, b b', securedto a anged sleeve, B', placed around the upper part of the shaft, and held thereon between a suitable collar or shoulder, c, and a nut, c', placed uponlthe upper threaded end of the shaft, and serving to hold the said sleeve B rigidly upon the shaft. Said cylinder Bis provided at its upper edge with an inwardly-ex tending iiange, B2, while the outer receptacle, A, is provided with a similar ange, A3, arranged in the manner heretofore well known in devices of this character.

J J, Figs. l and 2, indicate two guide-pul-y leys for the drivingbelt, said guide-pulleys being mounted upon arms j j, attached to a standard, J', located at one side of the machineframe, the pulleys being arranged horizontally opposite the main driving-pulley G, in the :manner shown in the drawings. K is a brakeshoe arranged to act upon the belt-pulley G at the side of the latter nearest the guide-pulleys J J, so that said shoe will not interfere with the belt and will act to thrust the pulley in a direction opposite to that which it tends to move by the pull of the belt, so that the pressure produced by the application of the brakeshoe will have little tendency to disturb the equilibrium of the revolving part of the extractor. A brake-shoe thus located may be sustained and operated in any one of a number of ways. As herein shown, it is supported upon vertical rods k k, whichare pivoted at 7c' to the bed-plate of the machine.

In Figs. l and 2 the devices for actuating the brake-shoe consist of togglearms L L', which are pivoted to the brake-shoe and one of the standards A of the machine-frame, and are pivotally connected at their inner or adjacent ends with a vertical bar, M, the lower U ley, a spiral spring, M4, being herein shown as applied between the lever M3 and one of the frame-standards A for this purpose.

In Fig. l() is shown a somewhat different form of brake device, more particularly adapted for use in the smaller sizes of machines, where there is little room within the frame. In said Fig. 10, N is abell-crank4 lever,which is pivoted at a to the standard A', and the upper end of the vertical arm of which is connected by a rod, N', with the brake-shoe K. rllhe horizontal arm of said bell-crank lever is connected by a pitman, a', with the horizontal arm N2 of a rock-shaft, N3, arranged in the same manner as the rock-shaft M2 shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

I claim as my invention- 41. The combination, with a revolving cylinder and a vertical supporting-shaft therefor, of a step or bearing engaging the lower end of the said shaft and affording the sole means of supporting the same, said bearing being connected with the machine-frame by a universal joint, rigid arms attached tothe said bearing and extending outwardly from the same, and spring-connections between the outer ends of said arms and the machine-frame or other stationary support or supports, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a revolving cylinder and a vertical supporting-shaft therefor, of a step or bearing engaging the lower end of the shaft and affording the sole means of supporting the same, said bearing being connected with the machine-frame by a universal joint, rigid arms attached to the said bearing,

a'nd spring-connections between the outer ends of'the arms and the machine-frame embracing devices for adjusting the tension of the springs, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a revolving cylinder and a vertical shaft supporting the same, of a step or bearing for the lower end of the shaft, said step or bearing being provided IOO with an exterior spherical enlargement, a support for the bearing provided with Va socket at its upper end to receive said spherical enlargement, a pulley attached to the shaft above lthe bearing and extending downwardly outside of said bearing and around the support` thereof, 'radial arms rigidly attached to said bearing below the said spherical enlargement and socket, and spring-connections between the outer ends of said arms and adjacent stationary supports, substantially as described.-

4. The combination, with a revolving cylinder and a supporting-shaft therefor, of a step or bearing for the lower end of the shaft, consisting of -a box, D', provided with a central oil-recess, and a lining, D2, inserted in said box and passing through the oil-recess, said lining being provided with exterior longitudinal grooves and with perforations extending from thel said grooves to the bearing-face of the lining, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the perforated revolving cylinder of a centrifugal extractor, a vertical shaft supporting the same, and a bearing for the shaft constructed to allow inclination of the latter, of an exterior shell or re- IIO ceptaele provided with an aperture in its botfreely rotating ring larger than the shaft, tom through which said shaft passes, and a. mounted upon said receptacle adjacent to said freely-rotating ring larger than the shaft suropening,andantifriction rollers sustaining the 15 rounding said shaft and sustained upon the ring and holding it from lateral motion, subreceptaele adjacent to said aperture, subst-anl stantially. as described. tially as described. e In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my 6. The combination, with vat revolving oylinvention I afx my signature in presence of inder of a. centrifugal extractor, a shaft for two witnesses. supporting the same, a bearing for the shaft GEORGE N. DOWNS. constructed to allow inclination of the latter, and an exterior shell or receptacle provided with a cent-ral aperture inv its bottom, of a Witnesses: C. CLARENCE POOLE,

O. N. WILLIS. 

